Trolley-pole catcher



(No Model.)

M. M. 'W00.D TRO'LLEY. POLE GATGHEB;

No. 471,206. Patented Mai. 22-, 1,892.

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MONTRAVILLE M. W'OOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TROLLEY-POLE CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,206, dated March 22, 1892. Application filed June 4, 1891. Serial No. 395,075. (No model.)

T0 (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MONTRAVILLE M. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Trolley-Pole Catchers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to trolley-catchers, and has for its object to provide means whereby the motion of the car or some part thereof may be utilized to bring the trolley-catcher down. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a view of a car with my device attached. Fig. 2 is a detail side view of the drum or sleeve and clutch. Fig. 3 is a crosssection.

Like parts are indicated by the same lettors in all the figures.

A is the body of the car; 13, the track on which it runs; C, the trolley-wire, adapted to be engaged by the trolley C on the end of the trolley-pole C which is normally upwardly forced by the spring C and controlled by the rope C which is normally slack. The rope C passes over the pulley D on the end of the car, and thence about the sleeveEon the axle F, thence through the slot G on the lever H, and is finally attached to the sleeve F at F. The lever H is pivoted at J to the frame J on the bottom of the car or portion of the truck, and is also pivotally connected at J 2 -with the yoke R on the movable collar J which rotates with the axle F.

K is a fixed collar on the axle F.

L L are bearing-surfaces or friction-plates upon the collars K and J 3 and upon the ends of the sleeve E.

M is a rope secured to the lever H and passing upwardly over the roller Nand terminating in the handle 0.

The yoke R rests in the grooves in the col- 'lar J and the collar is keyed to the shaft F by the key T, so that the collar is movable along the shaft and rotates with it.

parts mightbe modified considerably without departing materially from the spirit of my invention, it merely consisting in employing the motive power of the car, either the axle thereof or some driven mechanism or part.

These The use and operation of my invention are as follows: Normally in the operation of street-cars the trolleyis kept elevated against the trolley-wire; but if it should escape from the trolleywire, which sometimes occurs, great damage is likely to result from theengagement of the trolley-pole with wires or other obstructions with which it may come in contact. Hence it is necessary or desirable to have means of drawing down the trolleypole. The rope C is normally slack; but if the trolley thus escapes from the trolley-wire the pole, being upwardly forced by its spring, will tighten the rope C and pull upon the same, thus rocking the leverH on its pivotal point J, whereby the collar J 3 is moved along the shaft F far enough to cause the engagement of the several friction-plates L, so as to make the sleeve E rotate on the shaft F far enough to wind up the rope C until the trolley-pole is brought down and the trolley lowered below the trolley-wire. When this result is observed, the operator may release the trolley-pole by throwing the lever out and separating the friction-plates L by pulling uponthe handle 0 of the rope M. He may then permit the trolley to rise to its accustomed position, loosening the rope C and unwinding the sleeve until the parts have resumed their normal position.

I claim- 1. In a trolley-catcher, the combination of a trolley normally upwardly held against the trolley-wire,a rope whereby the same may be drawn down, means for winding the rope to bring the trolley down, ordinarily disconnected from the motor mechanism of the car, and a catch to throw such winding apparatus into operation, said catch adapted to be operated by the tightening of the rope.

2. In a trolley-catcher, the combination of a trolley normally upwardly held against the trolley-wire, a rope'whereby the same may be drawn down, means for winding the rope to bring the trolley down, ordinarily disconnected from the motor mechanism of the car, and a catch to throw such winding apparatus into operation, said catch adapted to be operated by the tightening of therope and consisting of a lever, to which the rope is applied, and a clutch controlled by such lever,

erated by the tightening of the rope, said winding apparatus consisting of a sleeve loose on the axle or other rotating part and friction-plates controlled by the catoh,where- 15 by the sleeve is coupled to, so as to rotate With, such rotating part.

MONTRAVILLE M. WGOD.

Vitnesses:

CELESTE P. CHAPMAN, HARRIET ll. DAY. 

